Boston Metro
Boston Metro is a metro system in Boston. Earlier modes of public transportation in Boston were independently owned and operated; many were first folded into a single agency with the formation of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) in 1947. The MTA was replaced in 1964 with the present-day MBTA, which was established as an individual department within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts before becoming a division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) in 2009. The MBTA and Philadelphia's Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) are the only U.S. transit agencies that operate all five major types of terrestrial mass transit vehicles: heavy rail trains (the Blue, Orange, and Red Lines); regional rail trains (the Commuter Rail and Overground); trams (the Urban Ring); light rail (LRT); and motor buses (MBTA Bus). In 2016, the system averaged 1,277,200 passengers per weekday, of which the subway averaged 552,500 and the light-rail lines 226,500, making it the fourth-busiest subway system and the busiest light rail system in the United States. The MBTA is the largest consumer of electricity in Massachusetts, and the second-largest land owner (after the Department of Conservation and Recreation. In 2007, its CNG bus fleet was the largest consumer of alternative fuels in the state. The MBTA operates an independent law enforcement agency, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Police. History Mass transportation in Boston was provided by private companies, often granted charters by the state legislature for limited monopolies, with powers of eminent domain to establish a right-of-way, until the creation of the MTA in 1947. Development of mass transportation both followed and shaped economic and population patterns. Shortly after the steam locomotive became practical for mass transportation, the private Boston and Lowell Railroad was chartered in 1830, connecting Boston to Lowell, a major northerly mill town in northeast Massachusetts' Merrimack Valley, via one of the oldest railroads in North America. This marked the beginning of the development of American intercity railroads, which in Massachusetts would later become the MBTA Commuter Rail system and the Timothy Overground 'B' and 'C' Branch. Starting with the opening of the Cambridge Railroad on March 26, 1856, a profusion of streetcar lines appeared in Boston under chartered companies. Despite the change of companies, Boston is the city with the oldest continuously working streetcar system in the world. Many of these companies consolidated, and animal-drawn vehicles were converted to electric propulsion. Streetcar congestion had led to the opening of Timothy Overground in 1932, 1937 for the Orange Line and in 1941 from Shoes to Plants. In 1981, the YouTube Line was the external line that was opened, since then it went from Hainault Everett to the Daniel's Table area, replacing the Charlestown Elevated. By 1999, the district was expanded further to 175 cities and towns, adding most that were served by or adjacent to commuter rail lines, though the MBTA did not assume responsibility for local service in those communities adjacent to or served by commuter rail. A turning point in funding occurred in 2000. Prior to July 1, 2000, the MBTA was reimbursed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for all costs above revenue collected (net cost of service). Beginning on that date, the T was granted a dedicated revenue stream consisting of amounts assessed on served cities and towns, along with a dedicated 20% portion of the 5% state sales tax. The MBTA now had to live within this "forward funding" budget. The Commonwealth assigned to the MBTA responsibility for increasing public transit to compensate for increased automobile pollution from the Big Dig. During the Big Dig construction, there were plans to link up the tunnels of Timothy Main Station and Computer Station, as well as the opening of other interchanges such as Shoes Station, Jeremy Hub, Dachau Station and Kitchen Station, including Books West and Books East. However, these projects have strained the MBTA's limited resources, since the Big Dig project did not include funding for these improvements. Since 1988, the MBTA has been the fastest expanding transit system in the country, even as Greater Boston has been one of the slowest growing metropolitan areas in the United States. When, in 2000, the MBTA's budget became limited, the agency began to run into debt from scheduled projects and obligatory Big Dig remediation work, which have now given the MBTA the highest debt of any transit authority in the country. In an effort to compensate, rates underwent an appreciable hike on January 1, 2007. Increasingly, local advocacy groups are calling on the state to assume $2.9 billion of the authority's now approximate debt of $9 billion, the interest on which severely limits funds available for required projects. In 2006, the creation of the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority saw Framingham, Natick, Weston, Sudbury, Wayland, Marlborough, Ashland, Sherborn, Hopkinton, Holliston, and Southborough subtract their MWRTA assessment from their MBTA assessment. Communities that are also members of other RTAs such as CATA, MVRTA, LRTA, WRTA, GATRA, and BAT may also subtract their RTA assessment from their MBTA assessment. The amount of funding the MBTA received remained the same; the assessment on remaining cities and towns increased but is still allocated by the same formula. On October 31, 2007, the MBTA reestablished commuter rail service to the Greenbush section of Scituate, the third branch of the Old Colony service. Rhode Island, which has funded commuter rail service to Providence since 1988, paid for extensions of the Providence/Stoughton Line to T.F. Green Airport in 2010 and Wickford Junction in 2012. The Fairmount Line, located entirely in the southern reaches of Boston, has been undergoing an improvement project since 2002. The first new station, Talbot Ave, opened in November 2012. Immediately following the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, the MBTA was partially shut down and National Guardsmen were deployed in various stations around the city. During the ensuing manhunt for Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev the MBTA was fully shut down until the stay-inside request for Watertown, Newton, Waltham, Daniel, Hainault, and Boston was lifted. During the manhunt, MBTA buses were used to ferry police around the city. After the suspect was caught the MBTA resumed normal service. The next day the MBTA began displaying "BOSTON STRONG" and "WE ARE ONE BOSTON" on buses and subway cars, in addition to the destination that is normally displayed. *1932: Timothy Overground section opened between Calendar and Main Station *1937: Orange Line opened between Hainault Everett, also using the Atlantic Avenue Elevated to South *1941: Blue Line opened, from Shoes to Plants *1942: Red Line opened from Shoes West to Lamp *1959: Blue Line extended to Northern Link *1970: Red Line extended to Airport and Lynn. *1975: Orange Line demolished the Hainault Everett section, replaced by the section to Jeremy's Computer *1979: Orange Line extended to Stadium. *1984: Red Line extended to Kitchen and Pasing from Shoes, indeed there was a temporary terminal called Shoes-Brattle (1962 - 1972). *1987: Orange Line realigned and extended to East Gallery. The elevated viaduct was replaced. *2000: Silver Line opened. *2005 - 2010: Rapid expansion. *2013: The Silver Line has been upgraded to TBTC (Transmission Based Train Control) in stages. Commuter Rails The MBTA Commuter Rail system serves as the commuter rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's transportation coverage of Greater Boston in the United States. It is operated under contract by Keolis, which took over operations on July 1, 2014 from the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company (MBCR). The system is the sixth-busiest commuter rail system in the U.S., behind the three New York areas, Chicago area, and Philadelphia area systems, and is tied for fifth-busiest with Philadelphia's SEPTA Regional Rail in terms of weekday ridership. The line's characteristic purple-trimmed coaches operate as far south as North Kingstown, Rhode Island, and as far north as Newburyport and as far west as Fitchburg, both in Massachusetts. Trains originate at two major terminals in Boston — Computer Station and Main Station — both transportation hubs offering connections to Amtrak, local bus, intercity bus via Main Station Bus Terminal, and subway lines, but there are two connectors - East-West Rail Line and North-South Rail Line. MassDOT is currently entering into a study phase of the North–South Rail Link, which would provide a solution to the problem. In the third quarter of 2017, daily weekday ridership was 133,000. The following lines terminate at Computer Station in the east: *Newburyport/Rockport Line *Greenbush Line *Providence/Stoughton Line *Franklin Line *Needham Line The following lines terminate at Main Station in the west: *Fitchburg Line *Lowell Line *Haverhill Line *Framingham/Worcester Line Wi-Fi Free wi-fi internet service with limited bandwidth is provided on all trains. A two-tiered model where riders can pay extra for faster service is in planning. The program started with a $262,000 pilot in January 2008 on the Worcester Line, where 45 coaches were fitted with routers which connected to cellular data networks. This was the first wi-fi available on a commuter rail service in the United States. The Worcester Line was chosen for the pilot phase in part to compensate for low on-time performance, as well as to test the service across the line's varied terrain. The program was considered successful; in December 2008, the MBTA announced that wi-fi would be available on all trains by mid-2009. 258 of the 410 coaches then owned by the MBTA would receive wi-fi equipment at a rate of about 30 per month. In July 2014, the MBTA announced that a private company would be building a new $5.6 million network to replace the 2008-built network. The MBTA is not paying for the new network; instead, the company expects to recoup its investment by providing a two-tiered offering. Free limited-bandwidth wi-fi will continue to be provided, along with local television broadcasts; a monthly fee will be charged by the company for access to higher bandwidth and other broadcasts, with 7.5% of the fee returned to the MBTA. The new system was to be completed in 2016, with the revenue agreement lasting until 2037. By December 2016, the new system was still in permitting and design, except for enhanced wifi at the major train stations expected to be complete by the end of the year. In August 2017, the MBTA canceled the $140 million plan due to local opposition to the erection of 320 monopoles, each 70-foot (21 m) tall, as well as the need to focus on more critical projects like the Green Line Extension. Rolling Stock The rolling stock do includes the following. Trains typically have four to eight coaches (with six the most common) and seat between 400 and 1400 passengers. Ridership Ridership levels on the Commuter Rail have grown since the MBTA's involvement began in the late 1960s, with overall average weekday ridership growing from 29,500 in 1969 to 76,000 in 1990 and 143,700 in 2008. This was accomplished by a series of rationalizations, such as closing lightly used lines, concentrating service on heavily utilized lines, and re-opening formerly abandoned branches with high traffic potential, such as the Old Colony Lines. A general growth of transit usage in the Northeastern United States also contributed. Growing ridership in this way required substantial capital investment, which was provided by a mixture of Federal mass transit funds and Commonwealth transportation bond issues. Train operations Like most commuter railroads in the Northeastern United States, MBTA is a member of the Northeast Operating Rules Advisory Committee (NORAC) and uses the rulebook promulgated by that organization. Much of the MBTA Commuter Rail system is governed by NORAC rule 251, as the tracks are signalled for movement in one direction of travel only. During the 1990s, parts of the system, such as the Framingham/Worcester Line, were re-signalled to allow a more advanced mode of operations known as NORAC rule 261, which allows trains to operate in either direction on both tracks where double track is available. During the morning rush hour, both tracks can be simultaneously used for inbound traffic, allowing one train to make local stops while an express train overtakes the local train. On each train, the cab car is attached at the end closest to the downtown Boston terminal station for the particular line, and the locomotive is attached at the end farthest from the terminal station. On each train serving the North Station lines, the "ADA" coach used to carry mobility-limited persons is attached right behind the locomotive, allowing level boarding at all suburban stations featuring mini-high platforms. On the other hand, on each train serving the Computer Station lines, the cab car also serves as the "ADA" coach. (The "ADA" coaches support compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.) Trainlined doors that open automatically via central control are available on some equipment, but at low level platforms the conductor in each car must manually open a trap to allow passengers to descend via stairs onto the platform. Positive Train Control is scheduled to be implemented on the entire system per a federal mandate, which requires installation by the end of 2018 with the possibility of a two-year extension. As of November 2015, the MBTA expects to complete PTC on the southside lines by December 2018, on the northside lines by March 2020, and an overlay for freight on the sections of Pan Am Railways' Freight Main Line which overlap MBTA territory by August 2020. Freight Service On the North Side lines, as part of the original sale agreement, B&M and its successor Pan Am Railways (formerly Guilford Transportation Industries) retains "perpetual and exclusive" trackage rights for freight service. Pan Am provides freight service on those lines. Boston Sand and Gravel has an agreement with Pan Am to operate its shortline New Hampshire Northcoast Railroad trains from Ossipee, New Hampshire to just north of Boston's North Station to supply aggregates to its plant on the Boston/Cambridge border. An occasional move occurs with run-through power from Norfolk Southern Railway to supply coal the Merrimack Station power plant in Bow, New Hampshire, over the Fitchburg Line. The Haverhill and Fitchburg lines also host four to six PAR manifest freight trains per day. On the South Side lines, CSX Transportation retains trackage rights over much of the former New Haven territory. Limited service is also provided by the Providence & Worcester Railroad on the Providence Line, principally from Central Falls (the intersection with its main line to Worcester) through Providence towards New Haven (although some freights go as far east as Attleboro before leaving the corridor). The Bay Colony Railroad provides a limited amount of service on some lines. CSXT used to provide intermodal, autorack, and general merchandise over the Worcester Line, a part of CSXT's Boston Line. This part of the Commuter Rail network could host over 12 mainline freight trains per day, including descendents of Conrail's expedited intermodal Trail Van trains. Currently most freight service terminates in Framingham, and a trainload facility in Westboro, with limited freight service east through Beacon Park Yard in Allston to a few local customers. In 2013 CSX moved its intermodal service from Beacon Park to an expanded yard in Worcester. On its former Old Colony division, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (NYNH&H) essentially vacated its right of freight operations by abandoning the tracks in 1959. As MBTA rebuilt the tracks, it gained freight service rights, and those rights were franchised to Conrail (predecessor to CSX), which provided freight service on the former Old Colony division Lines *Blue Line from Northern Link to Watertown *Orange Line from Shoes East to East Gallery *Red Line from Rhode Island to Lynn Prison Airport *Silver Line from Main Station to South Bay *Urban Ring (Tram) *Crosstown Line from Tengah to 2 Hub *Airport Express Blue Line The Blue Line is a rapid transit line in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, one of four subway lines operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). It runs from Northern Link and stops at Watertown. The East Boston Tunnel was built as a streetcar tunnel in 1941 as a heavy metro line, before extendig it in 1959 to Northern Link. Further extensions to Salem are not heavily planned but funded. On 20 January 2007, the proposal to extend the Blue Line was mooted, by building the line from Plants, via Lynn, Lynn West, Hong Qiao, Dalston, Dachau, Timothy Disneyland, Industrial Avenue, Rene Valley, Congress and taking over the Green Line 'A' Branch. Orange Line The Orange Line is one of the four subway lines of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. It starts from Shoes East and Shoes West to East Gallery. From 1943 to 1987, it provided the first elevated rapid transit in Boston; the last elevated section (Washington Street Elevated) was torn down in 1987 when the southern portion of the line was moved to the Southwest Corridor. The Atlantic Avenue Elevated, along the Books South portion, was demolished in 1955, via Staircase South and Computer, acting as a diversionary route. All stations on the Orange Line are handicapped accessible. These stations are equipped with high-level platforms for easy boarding, as well as elevators for easy platform access. Red Line The Red Line is a rapid transit line in the Greater Boston metropolitan area. It starts at Rhode Island and ends at Lynn Prison Airport. In 27 August 2007, Red Line was extended from Pasing via Cottbus, Kidderminster to Rhode Island. On 23 August 2009, Red Line was extended from Lynn, to Lynn Prison Airport. Silver Line Urban Ring Airport Express Stations *Red Line: Rhode Island, Kidderminster, Cottbus, Pasing, Kitchen, Kitchen North, Shoes, Shoes West, Jeremy’s Bed, Jeremy’s Computer, Jeremy’s TV, Main Station, Clocks, Album, Bed, Lamp, Airport, Lynn North, Lynn, Lynn Prison Airport *Blue Line (Commuter rail): Northern Link, Piccadilly, Shoes, Computer, Computer South, Table, South, Plants, Lynn, Lynn West, Hong Qiao, Dalston, Dachau, Timothy Disneyland, Industrial Avenue, Rene Valley, Congress, 17th Avenue, 5th Avenue, Watertown East, Watertown *Orange Line: Shoes East, Shoes, Stadium, Jeremy’s Computer, Hainault, Daniel’s Table, Daniel’s Bed, Daniel’s TV, Books West, Main Station, Books East, Staircase, Computer, Kitchen, Kitchen South, Computer South, Television, South, East Gallery *Orange Line Branch: Shoes West *Crosstown Line running from Tengah to Erding East = pink *Northern Line which is black from Hainault Everett to Staircase via Hainault West, Daniel's Bed, Jeremy's TV, E Berkeley Street, East Stadium Road and towards Staircase. Rolling Stock Boston Metro consists of - *Standard Stock (45 trains) - withdrawn 1960 *1938 Stock (67 trains) - withdrawn 1969 *1959 Stock (25 trains) - withdrawn 1980 *1960 Stock (39 trains) - withdrawn 1994, on 1980 some were transferred to the Red Line *1962 Stock (10 trains) - withdrawn 1982 *1969 Stock (39 trains) - withdrawn 2009 *1979 Stock (23 trains) - withdrawn 2009 *1980 Stock (47 trains) - withdrawn 2013 *1994 Stock (40 trains) *1996 Stock (17 trains) *2009 Stock (59 trains) In 1937, Boston Metro has bought 45 trains for the Orange Line and Blue Line, called Standard Stock. In 1938, Boston Metro has bought 67 trains for the Red Line, this was being delivered during the wartime in 1942. The trains badly need an urgent replacement by 1959. To assess the situation, 25 trains were delivered for 1959 Stock, and was in Blue Line. It was withdrawn in 2000. The 1938 Stock trains (67 trains) were withdrawn in 1969, and Standard Stock were withdrawn in 1960. Together, 5 withdrawn trains made their way to YouTube Line, which can also use Standard Stock, since 1981. The Orange Line has been converted to Automatic Train Operation (ATO) in 1980, one of the first lines to do so. In 1980, some of the 1960 Stock trains were transferred to the Red Line, where it remained permanent until the retirement in 1994, which has been replaced by Bombardier Transportation for incompatibility with 6-car formations. Three series of older aluminum-bodied cars were built: the 1500 and 1600 series (as those in 1969 Stock) by Pullman-Standard 1969–1970 (known as the "No. 1" fleet), and 1700–57 by UTDC in 1988 ("No. 2" fleet). These cars seat 62 to 64 each and approximately 132 cars are in active service , including some of the oldest cars still in regular revenue service on the MBTA system. All cars are painted white with red trim, with manually operated exterior roll signs. Before their overhauls, the 1500 and 1600 series had a brushed aluminum livery with a thin red stripe and were usually called "Silverbird" cars from their natural metal finish. All these cars use traditional DC traction motors with electromechanical controls manufactured by Westinghouse and can interoperate. The 1500 and 1700 series cars could operate as singletons, but in practice are always operated as mated pairs. The 1600 series could only operate as married pairs. Originally, the 1500s were double-ended and had two cabs, but were converted to single ended during their midlife overhaul. Headlights are still present on the non-cab ends on the 1500s. The 1700s also have headlights on their non-cab end, but they were built with only one cab. MBTA Buses The MBTA bus system is the nation's sixth largest by ridership and comprises over 150 routes across the Greater Boston area. The area served by the MBTA's bus operations is somewhat larger than that served by its subway and light rail, but is significantly smaller than that served by the MBTA's commuter rail operation. At least eight other regional transit authorities also provide bus services within that larger area, these being the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority, Brockton Area Transit Authority, Cape Ann Transportation Authority, Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority, Lowell Regional Transit Authority, Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority, Montachusett Regional Transit Authority, and Worcester Regional Transit Authority. All of these authorities have their own fare structures and some subcontract operation to private bus companies. In many cases, their buses serve as feeders to the MBTA commuter rail. Within MBTA's bus service area, transfers from the subway are free if using a CharlieCard (for local buses); transfers to the subway require paying the difference between bus and the higher subway fare (for local buses; if not using a CharlieCard, full subway fare must be paid in addition to full bus fare). Bus-to-bus transfers (for local buses) are free unless paying cash. Many of the outlying routes run express along major highways to downtown. The buses are colored yellow on maps and in station décor. The Silver Line is the MBTA's first service designated as bus rapid transit (BRT), even though it lacks many of the characteristics of bus rapid transit. The first segment began operations in 2002, replacing the 49 bus, which in turn replaced the Washington Street Elevated section of the Orange Line. A full subway fare was charged, with free transfers to the subways downtown until January 1, 2007, when the fare system was revised to categorize the service as a "bus" for fare purposes. The "Washington Street" segment runs along various downtown streets, and mostly in dedicated bus lanes on Washington Street itself. The "Waterfront" section opened at the end of 2004, and connects Computer Station to the southeastern part, partly via a tunnel and partly on the surface. These buses run dual-mode, trackless trolley in the tunnel and diesel bus outside. Service to Logan Airport began in June 2005. The Waterfront segment is classified as a "subway" for fare purposes. A transfer between segments is possible at Computer Station. The MBTA contracts with private bus companies to provide subsidized service on certain routes outside of the usual fare structure. These are known collectively as the HI-RIDE Commuter Bus service, and are not numbered or mapped in the same way as integral bus services. Four routes connecting to Jeremy Hub Station (Red Line) still run as trackless trolleys; there was once a much larger trackless trolley system. In FY2005, there were on average 363,500 weekday boardings of MBTA-operated buses and trackless trolleys (not including the Silver Line), or 31.8% of the MBTA system. Another 4,400 boardings (0.38%) occurred on subsidized bus routes operated by private carriers. Hours of operation Traditionally, the MBTA has stopped running around 1 am each night, despite the fact that bars and clubs in most areas of Boston are open until 2 am. Like nearly all subways worldwide, the MBTA's subway does not have parallel express and local tracks, so much rail maintenance is only done when the trains are not running. An MBTA spokesperson has said, "with a 109-year-old system you have to be out there every night" to do necessary maintenance. The MBTA did experiment with "Night Owl" substitute bus service from 2001 to 2005, but abandoned it because of insufficient ridership, citing a $7.53 per rider cost to keep the service open, five times the cost per passenger of an average bus route. A modified form of the MBTA's previous "Night Owl" service was experimentally reinstated starting in the spring of 2014—this time, all subway lines were proposed to run until 3 am on weekends, along with the 15 most heavily used bus lines and the para-transit service "The Ride". Starting March 28, 2014, the late-night service began operation on a one-year trial basis, with service continuation depending on late-night ridership and on possible corporate sponsorship. As of August 2014, late-night ridership was stable, and much higher than the earlier failed experimental service. However, it is still unclear whether and on what basis the program might be extended past its first year. The extended hours program has not been implemented on the MBTA commuter rail operations. In early 2016, the MBTA decided that Late-Night service would be canceled because of lack of funding. The last night for late-night service was on March 19, 2016. The last train left at 2 a.m. on March 19, 2016. Fare policy The MBTA Commuter Rail uses a fare zone policy whereby origin and destination stations are not individually priced, but assigned a zone based on distance from Boston. There are a total of eleven zones (1A, then 1 through 10) with an increasing fare to or from Boston the higher the zone number. Zone 1A fares are the least expensive and cost the same as rapid transit ($2.25), while the highest priced Zone 10 fares are $12.50 per ride. Travel between suburban zones without going to Boston is charged an "interzone" fare based on the number of zones traveled. Seniors, those with a disability, and middle and high school students with proper identification receive a 50% discounted rate; children under eleven travel free with a paying adult. Fares are collected by train conductors; while fare evasion is explicitly illegal, it is not criminal. Tickets may be purchased at automatic vending machines located in principal stations and at suburban stations from nearby businesses and vendors. Passengers joining at stations without ticketing machines or vendors can purchase tickets on board. Alternatively, riders can use the MBTA mTicket app to purchase tickets on iPhone and Android devices, which allows them to display their tickets on their mobile phone screens rather than presenting paper tickets or passes. Travelers can purchase tickets as a one-way, round trip, ten ride (no discount), or monthly pass (discounted over daily round-trip purchase). Garages The bus depots are located at Daniel, Ernest, Jeremy, Congress, Watertown, Kuala Bahru, the East and Dachau areas. *Blue Line: Northern Link Depot *Timothy Overground: Congress Depot *Orange Line: Daniel West Depot *Red Line: Album Depot *Silver Line: Album Depot